Tigers get their vengeance

MCC women’s basketball tops Southeastern

Adam Ring

T-R Sports Writer

aring@timesrepublican.com

AP PHOTO • Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm and senior point guard Monté Morris talk during a break in play during the first half of a college basketball game against Cincinnati on Dec. 1 in Ames.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING • Marshalltown Community College’s Dalia Cantu (12) gets a shot off against Southeastern CC’s Ciera Walker (32) during the second quarter Monday at the Student Activity Center. MCC won 59-53, winning its fifth game of the year to surpass last year’s win total.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING • Marshalltown Community College’s Estelle Eduardo drives the lane in the first quarter against Southeastern CC Monday at the MCC Student Activity Center. Eduardo led all scorers with 17 points, making five 3-pointers, in MCC’s 59-53 win.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING • Marshalltown Community College’s Dalia Cantu (12) gets a shot off against Southeastern CC’s Ciera Walker (32) during the second quarter Monday at the Student Activity Center. MCC won 59-53, winning its fifth game of the year to surpass last year’s win total.

A nine-point lead to start the fourth quarter dwindled down to one in a matter of the first three minutes of the final frame. But the Tigers responded with a 7-0 run, holding the opposition scoreless for more than three minutes. The Blackhawks narrowed the deficit to as low as four, but the Marshalltown Community College women’s basketball team kept Southeastern Community College at bay, as the Tigers grinded out a 59-53 win inside the Student Activity Center on Monday.

MCC (5-7), which won its fifth game of the season, surpassing 2015-16’s win total of four games, had three players score in double figures. Estelle Eduardo led all scorers with 17 points, nailing five 3-pointers. Barbara Araoz finished with 13 points and Loralei Siliga added 12 points. The Tigers shot 50 percent (10-for-20) from 3-point range, tying a team season-best for treys made in a game.

The Tigers avenged a loss to Southeastern (9-4) from earlier this season when the Blackhawks topped MCC 69-51 on Nov. 26 in West Burlington. The 53 points MCC allowed Monday was the second-lowest amount the Tigers have surrendered in a game this year.

“I think this was all defense,” said MCC coach Steve Garber. “Our offense was rusty. We hadn’t practiced for a couple days because the gym was being used. We did some exercises up in the weight room, and then watched some film. We weren’t out there shooting and things we normally do to prepare for a game. That kind of showed tonight I thought. But our defense, the kids just did what we asked them to do as far as taking away a lot of their passing. As a result, we held them down to where I felt we put ourselves in a position to win.”

Garber said taking away the Southeastern passing lane put the Blackhawks into situations where they hesitated, which allowed MCC to pressure them into committing the turnovers.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING • Marshalltown Community College’s Estelle Eduardo drives the lane in the first quarter against Southeastern CC Monday at the MCC Student Activity Center. Eduardo led all scorers with 17 points, making five 3-pointers, in MCC’s 59-53 win.

After Araoz made a 3-pointer that ended up being the final tally of the third, the Blackhawks opened the fourth with a 9-1 run to dwindle the margin to one. Eduardo responded with a layup for the Tigers. Siliga added a layup of her own while being fouled, and converted the and-one. After the Tigers forced one of the 21 turnovers they caused on defense, Siliga made another layup to stretch MCC’s lead to 51-43. Offensively, the Tigers committed just 11 turnovers, which is a new season-low.

“We were getting good shots, but we weren’t making them,” Garber said. “We had point blank layups, in the lane opportunities, but we hadn’t practiced shooting in a couple days, and it just kind of showed in that regard. Offensively, the thing I was most proud of was the 11 turnovers. We took care of the ball a little bit. And we got more shots, but again, they didn’t fall. That’s when you rely on defense to carry you through.”

Alexis Harris drained a jumper to end the Tiger run, but an Eduardo trey on the other end was MCC’s response to put the Blackhawks away.

After Southeastern opened the contest with a layup for a 2-0 advantage, the only lead the Blackhawks held all game, MCC came back with a 10-0 run. Eduardo opened with a three, Araoz added a layup, as did Siliga and Eduardo capped the run with a three. The Blackhawks clawed their way back to tie things 12-all in the first half-minute of the second quarter, but Alyssa Roth quickly silenced the opponent with back-to-back threes on consecutive trips down the floor. Roth finished the night with eight points, and pulled down 9 rebounds to lead MCC on the boards, coming off the bench. The Tigers opened as much of a lead as 11 points at 29-18 with two minutes before halftime on a Nisha Doby trey.

The Tigers have one more contest before an almost three-week break from game action. MCC travels to Iowa Lakes Community College on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. tip. It will be the last Tiger game until they travel to Jefferson College on Jan. 3.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING

“Just go up there and try to play better,” Garber said. “Play better offensively. Continue the defense, and the same types of things we did today. Looking to score more and shake the rust. Hopefully it was shaken off today as far as the scoring ability is concerned. It’s going to be a long trip. It’s going to be a tough one. At the same time, most of them will be finished with all of their exams at that point. So, maybe they’ll loosen up a little bit.”